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14 day Itenerery
Day 1 - Departure
Your adventure
begins today as you board your flight to Amsterdam on KLM/Northwest airlines.
Day 2 - Amsterdam /
Nairobi, Kenya
Arrive in
Amsterdam early this morning from your home city. Connect on your KLM flight to
Nairobi, Kenya. Upon arrival, there will be a local representative to meet you
and provide a transfer to the hotel for check-in & overnight. Situated only 5
miles from city center and 12 miles from the airport, the Safari Park Hotel has
an African theme and is located on 64 magnificent acres. There is a wonderful
pool, several bars, health club, tennis courts and business facilities.
Safari Park Hotel
Day 3 - Nairobi / Masai
Mara Game Reserve
Leaving Nairobi
after breakfast, you'll meet up with your traveling companions and head with
your guide towards Kenya's fertile highlands down the Rift Escarpment on a road
built by Italian prisoners of war during World War II. Look for the charming
chapel they built at the foot of the escarpment. You'll pass the impressive
Longonot earth satellite station as you head across the Valley to Narok, and
then travel across acres of wheat and barley, before you reach the Masai Mara in
time for lunch. Following lunch and a siesta, there is an afternoon game drive
returning to the lodge as the sun sets.
Mara Sopa Lodge (BLD)
Optional Hot Air
Balloon safari available upon request.
Day 4 - Masai Mara Game
Reserve
Following an early
breakfast join the group for a morning safari, returning to camp in time for
lunch and rest, this afternoon you can participate on your second safari of the
day.
The Masai Mara borders the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and is the same
eco-system. The landscape is mostly open Savannah grasslands and acacia
scrubland. Many times of the year you will see a large number of lion, hippo,
crocodile and vultures - all of which prey on the weak and young migrating
animals. Other game to be found in the Masai Mara at any time of the year
include: elephants, cheetahs, baboons, gazelles, giraffes, jackals, leopards,
hyenas, water buffalo, ostriches and a large variety of antelope and birdlife.
Mara Sopa Lodge (BLD)
Day 5 - Masai Mara /
Great Rift Valley / Lake Nakuru National Park
Leave the Masai
Mara after breakfast, travel across the 'breadbasket' of Kenya, where acres of
wheat and barley litter the landscape as you head north to Narok, the district
headquarters of this part of Maasailand. We travel across the vast floor of the
Rift Valley, keeping an eye out for herds of giraffe and gazelle as you head up
the Mau Escarpment, before arriving at Lake Nakuru lodge for lunch. The waters
here are often colored shimmering flamingo pink, from thousands of the beautiful
birds lining its shores. After lunch, head into the park for game viewing then
continue to Lake Naivasha or Lake Nakuru for overnight.
Lake Nakuru Lodge (BLD)
Day 6 - Amboseli Game
Reserve
After breakfast depart for Amboseli and the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Once
in the park, proceed on an afternoon game drive enroute to your lodge, arriving
in the early evening. Amboseli is a place of stark contrast, the name meaning
"salty dust" in Maasai. Amboseli, despite its sometimes dry and dusty
appearance, has an endless supply of water filtered through thousands of feet of
volcanic rock from Mt. Kilimanjaro's snow melt. These underground streams
converge into clear fresh water springs in the heart of the park. The powder
like dust is volcanic ash, which was thrown from Kilimanjaro millennia ago. The
main attraction of Amboseli is its vast herds of elephant within the park. The
bull elephants here have some of the largest tusks in Kenya. Early morning and
late afternoon photographic opportunities are incredible, with plentiful game
and Mt. Kilimanjaro (the highest freestanding mountain in the world) providing
an impressive and majestic backdrop.
Amboseli Sopa Lodge (BLD)
Day 7 - Amboseli Game
Reserve
Up early this morning with the hopes of seeing the magnificent snow-capped peak
of Mt. Kilimanjaro. After breakfast, head out on a game drive searching for
elephant, cheetah, Cape buffalo and the many other plains game that inhabit this
area.
Amboseli Sopa Lodge (BLD)
TANZANIA
Day 8 - Amboseli / Lake
Manyara National Park
After breakfast, board your vehicles and head to the Tanzania border post.
Today's drive will be rather long but rewarding. Arrive in Arusha in time for
lunch. Then head out across the Masai Steppe to the Great Rift Valley. Your
hotel is perched high on the escarpment overlooking the park below.
Lake Manyara Serena
Lodge (BLD)
Day 9 - Lake Manyara /Olduvai
Gorge / Serengeti National Park
After breakfast, depart on a game drive in Lake Manyara National Park returning
to the lodge for lunch. Lake Manyara National Park is located 75 miles south
west of Arusha. More that two thirds of this small park (127 square miles) are
covered by lake. The park lies at the foot of the escarpment of the eastern
branch of the Great Rift Valley at an altitude of 3,100 feet. Lake Manyara
National Park has five different vegetation zones including groundwater forest
with giant fig and mahogany trees, marshlands and reedbeds, stretches of open
grassland, acacia woodland, and, on the escarpment slopes, thorn bushes and
baobabs. The highlight of the park's wildlife is the wonderful hippo population.
Elephant, giraffe, monkeys, lion and impala are also to be found. Over 380
species of birds have been identified within the park.
Leaving Lake Manyara, the journey continues northwest across the stunning hilly
countryside of Karatu and the highlands which is filled with wheat and coffee
plantations, and then into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. We go off the main
road to travel to OLDUVAI GORGE, the site of the discovery of one of the oldest
known human skulls. From here lies the vast plains of the Serengeti, where
you'll hopefully start spotting game well before you enter into the park.
Serengeti Sopa Lodge (BLD)
Day 10 - Serengeti
National Park
The world famous Serengeti National Park, the largest in Tanzania, occupies
about 14,763 square kilometers. The name Serengeti means endless plains and is
derived from the Maasai word 'siringiti'. You are now in the southern eco-system
of the Mara plains. This is the area of the world-famous migration. However, as
in the Mara, the Serengeti has year round resident game. As in all ecosystems,
the vegetation and types of animals you find are closely correlated. The
principal features of the park are the short and long grass open plains in the
southeast, the acacia savannah in the central are, the hilly, more densely
wooded central northern section and the extensive woodland and black clay
plains, dominated by the central ranges of mountains in the western corridor.
Morning and afternoon game drives in the Serengeti National Park.
Serengeti Sopa Lodge (BLD)
Day 11 - Serengeti /
Ngorongoro Crater
Depart after an early breakfast and drive back across the Serengeti plains and
onto Ngorongoro with a picnic lunch. Upon arrival, immediately descend into the
crater for game viewing in this magnificent area. Ngorongoro is one of the
largest collapsed calderas in the world and home to elephant, black maned lion,
rhino and beautiful pink flamingos. After game viewing head back up the wall for
overnight on the rim of Ngorongoro.
Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge
(BLD)
Day 12 - Ngorongoro
Crater / Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, you depart Ngorongoro and drive to Mto Wa Mbu Village arriving
in time for an excursion to the local village. After lunch, experience the local
culture - feel the heartbeat of an authentic African village with every step you
take. A leisurely stroll with a village guide will take you through local homes,
farmlands, resident bars, a kindergarten and a church. After the walk we gather
at a private, local banana-leaf bar, for a one in a million African fruit
tasting. A wide variety of local fruits will be presented to you to taste and
appreciate. Following the excursion you continue to Tarangire National Park with
a game drive enroute to your lodge located deep within the park.
Tarangire
Sopa Lodge (BLD)
Day 13 - Tarangire
National Park
Morning and afternoon game drives in Tarangire National Park.
Following breakfast at the lodge, continue your explorations with your group
with a game drive in the park that is the quintessence of Old Africa. Tarangire
has not only excellent wildlife but also features over 300 bird species! The
intriguing atmosphere seems quite prehistoric with ancient baobab trees, scrub
bush and outlines of strangely horned antelopes and tall giraffe. This area has
a very different and magical feel that makes it so unique - even without the
wildlife, the visit is worthwhile. Fewer tourists visit this park than all the
other parks. It is one of the best areas on the Tanzania northern circuit to see
elephant.
The wildlife viewing is excellent, with many migratory animals returning in
early summer to the only permanent water source in the area - the Tarangire
River and its tributaries.
Tarangire Sopa Lodge (BLD)
Day 14 - Tarangire /
Nairobi / Depart
Depart Tarangire after breakfast and drive back to Arusha arriving in time for
lunch. After lunch you continue the journey by road to Nairobi. You may
optionally fly back to Nairobi or book a dayroom to unwind in before your
international departure.
(BL)
May we suggest
extending your African experience with a luxurous stay in Zanzibar.
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